Academic Event Reflection
20 October 2019, Smith-Steeb Hall
I attended a showing of the acclaimed documentary American Factory, which illustrated a harrowing future for manufacturing in the United States. With the rise of Chinese investment in the US, we see the opening of Fuyao Glass America in Dayton replacing the previously defunct GM factory. Initial talks of the future of the factory and its workers are incredibly optimistic, speaking of a new era in bright US-China relations and the rebirth of Ohio industry. I was shocked by the reception to Sherrod Brown’s speech on unions, where Chinese executives stated that they would immediately shut down the operation should a union form. It set the tone of the documentary and it only continued to darken.
Relations between American workers and Chinese supervisors were often tense and featured sporadic clashes on issues of worker safety and conditions. Chinese executives often made remarks about Americans, speaking of their “fat fingers” and comparing them to donkeys. At one point, a supervisor proposes forcing workers to work overtime as is done in China. Another responds that that isn’t legal, to which the former replies “What will they do, sue me?” Although there were occasional moments of friendship and comradery between Americans and Chinese, they were always blotted out by worsening developments in the factory. Union activists are targeted and fired. Many lose both their jobs and their homes. If the future of manufacturing in my home state is represented by Fuyao, I’m incredibly worried for this foreign investment may end up affecting labor laws in favor of Chinese factories. Considering Fuyao paid over $1 million to prevent workers from unionizing, to lobby through money would not be far off. The extreme contrasts between American and Chinese work dynamics are the embodiment of the focus of International Affairs, and I’m incredibly glad I watched the film.